Awesome Labeling Software for Gardening

As a collector of the rare, the unusual, and the hard to find and a hybridizer, I’m always on the lookout for the best way to label and catalog my inventory of seeds and plants as well as the data I collect. Over the years I’ve auditioned various methods, but I finally have evolved a system that is easy to maintain and extremely flexible.

The backbone of my system is free software called DesignPro by Avery -- the label guys. I’ll put the link at the end of the article. This software has templates of every size label they make. You can make one label or a whole sheet, even adding pictures and calibrating the software to your printers so they come out perfect every time -- plus, it’s easy to learn!

How I Use It

When I label seed packets, I use my laser printer and the Avery 5167 size labels. They fit perfectly inside those 2 x 3 inch zip bags. I always put the labels inside the bag, so I’m never stuck with mystery seeds because the label fell off.

When I label Morning Glory crosses, I use the same size label, do a few cuts and folds, so it’s like a ring label, and stick it around the newly crossed flower. I wanted to find a way to label them without having to twist-tie something to the stem or expose it to sticky stuff, and after playing around with a few ideas, I came up with the answer. You can see in the pictures how it works. Laser-printed labels last the whole season, even when they're exposed to direct sun and rain.

When I label seed packets I send out for trades or sell, I use Avery 8163 and the Number 1 size Coin Envelopes.

To create the information cards that I include in some plant trades, I use Avery 8577 for postcards and then fold them in half.

Labels for cuttings and bulbs/rhizomes.

This software is amazing and, best of all, it’s free! Here is a link to the software: